By Rhona Pinkerton

There are renewed calls today for the toll at the Dartford Crossing to be scrapped.

For most of the day yesterday, traffic was allowed to pass through for free because a massive power cut in the area meant some of the booths could not operate.

The tolls were originally set up to pay for the tunnel and later the QEII bridge but despite those both being paid for, the tolls remain.

The Government claims it is because they provide a vital role in controlling traffic around the M25.

However, many locals say during the time the tolls were not operational on Tuesday, congestion was not a problem and traffic flowed freely.

It is a view shared by the Leader of Dartford Borough Council, Jeremy Kite, who said: “We’ve proved in the last couple of days that the minute you remove the tolls, the congestion goes away. Every honest minister now should be saying, ‘OK, it’s been proven that happens, let's waive the tolls altogether, lets take away that burden on the people of Dartford’”.

Another power source has now been used to power the toll booths and they are operational again.